


the real deal

by theredhoodie



Series: Thunderblink Prompts [1]
Category: The Gifted (TV 2017)
Genre: F/M, First Kiss, Tumblr Prompt
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-11-19
Updated: 2017-11-19
Packaged: 2019-02-04 04:38:17
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 931
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12763332
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/theredhoodie/pseuds/theredhoodie
Summary: Prompt request for Clarice and John's first kiss.





	the real deal

**Author's Note:**

> Gonna post all my tumblr prompts into one place! They each stand alone, unlike my other Thunderblink series, which is an actual series in an AU world I've created!
> 
> Hope you enjoy these! :)

Clarice popped her head into John’s room. It was tiny, which was probably good because he would definitely have given up his floor space for more beds if he had the space. Holding the entire Underground on his shoulders meant he deserved a tiny space that was his own.

“We’re officially out of food,” she said cautiously. 

John was sitting at the makeshift desk pressed up against a concrete wall, going over whatever papers were spread out on his desk. Clarice was beginning to think that he was always _on_ and never had a moment to relax. At her words, he let out a sigh and pushed the seat back. It scraped loudly, the sound echoing in the room.

“I’ve told you before, I can portal us somewhere to get supplies,” Clarice said, taking a tentative step inside.

John shook his head, standing and rubbing his face with his hands. “We can’t start stealing just because we’re in a tough spot.”

Clarice crossed her arms tightly across her chest. It had been a rough few weeks since he tracked her down and she decided to come back to the Underground. Officially a part of the team now, Clarice still felt like she was on the fringes, but it was getting better. “Sometimes we have to do things we don’t want to.”

John looked at her then, holding her gaze. He looked exhausted and she wished she could hit pause so he could get some sleep. A leader was no good to anyone if they were falling asleep on their feet. “We can’t risk calling any one who’s helped us in the past. Sentinel Services has everything tapped, it’s a wonder we’ve gotten those few vans out of here without incident.”

Feeling bold, Clarice stepped farther inside, a little bit closer. “I left here undetected once. I think I can do it again.”

He didn’t want to put her in danger. The words lingered on the tip of his tongue but he didn’t say them. She was part of the Underground now; no one here was coddled, everyone knew what it meant to join the fight. “The Underground can’t afford to lose you,” he said.

Clarice clenched her teeth and rolled her eyes upward. “The Underground? Really? Again?”

“What?”

“Are we ever gonna talk about what happened? Those so called complicated feelings you may or may not have for me? When you came to find me, you couldn’t even say that _you_ wanted me to come back, you put everything on the Underground.”

“I’ve been…figuring it out.”

“Oh?” She looked at him pointedly. “Share with the class.”

“I stopped things between me and Sonia.”

“That would explain why she’s always staring daggers at me,” Clarice mumbled. “So you broke up with your sort-of girlfriend. Big deal.”

He had a feeling that she was making this hard on purpose, to see how far he’d actually _go_. “All right. How’s this?” He paused and she nodded for him to continue. “After you left, I told myself I went after you because you knew the location of the Underground, but that wasn’t all of it. I wanted you to come back. I wanted to…make up for what I’d done.”

“You did. I mean, it’s a start.” She pushed some hair back from her face and waited.

“ _I_ don’t want to risk losing you again,” he finally said with an exhale of air. “You’re important to me.”

She tried not to smile as if she’d just been handed a puppy. “So you _do_ have feelings for me. Was that so complicated?”

“In our line of work? It could be.”

“Oh. You mean, you don’t want to get involved with anyone because you’ll worry about them too much? I hate to break it to you, but you can’t just cut every emotional connection of your life and hope for the best. Believe me, it’s a really shitty way to live. I know from experience.” She sighed and bit her bottom lip. “Look, I know that you have a hero complex…gotta save everyone and I can admire that, but some things are just out of your control.”

“You’re right,” he said, his eyebrows furrowing, his gaze lingering on her lips and moving their way up to her eyes.

She didn’t know if he always knew exactly the intense way he looked at her, but she had a feeling he was doing it on purpose now. “So…are you gonna kiss me now or are we just gonna have a staring contest?” To be fair, sarcasm was a defense and her insides felt all knotted up as if she were a teenager and not a grown woman. It would have probably been a little bit exhilarating if it weren’t so terrifying.

He gave her one of his Clarice-made-me-laugh smiles. “You haven’t said anything about how you feel about all this.”

She let out a tiny breath of relief. “Fair point.” She thought about it for a few seconds. “I’m pretty sure that I couldn’t have gotten so pissed at someone if my feelings weren’t genuine, but I’d have to test that theory.”

“What kind of test?”

“Hmmm.” Clarice tapped her index finger to her chin, slyly moving closer to him as she fought a tiny inward battle. “I think something like this.” Simultaneously pushing herself up onto her toes and sliding her hand behind his neck, and kissed him. His hands were warm and sturdy anchors on her hips.

The real deal was so much better than the memory shoved into her head. So much better.


End file.
